Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein fended off feisty House Republicans at a Thursday committee hearing, amid the passage of a resolution that puts on the record a demand for a handful of Justice Department documents.
The hearing was a means for the House Judiciary Committee to question Rosenstein about the recent Justice Department’s inspector general report on the FBI’s investigations during the 2016 election — but GOP lawmakers seized the opportunity to chastise the department’s No. 2 for being slow to turn over subpoenaed documents.
In his opening statement, committee Chairman Bob Goodlatte, R-Va., said the panel’s “oversight has been hampered by both the FBI and DOJ’s lack of consistent and vigorous production of the documents we need to hold the agencies accountable.”
“While this production has significantly improved recently, it has felt like pulling teeth much of the time to obtain and review relevant documents,” he added.
Goodlatte’s complaints did not fall on deaf ears, as the committee took a break to vote to approve a resolution — though nonbinding and nonenforceable — that demands the Justice Department turn over any outstanding documents from previously issued subpoenas by the House Judiciary and House Intelligence committees no later than July 6.
Rosenstein told lawmakers that the Justice Department has been making “unprecedented disclosures” to Congress and praised U.S. Attorney John Lausch for his work overseeing the process.
“I understand some people still state concerns about the speed of the production, but those concerns are mistaken,” Rosenstein said. “Most requests have been fulfilled and other document productions are in progress for this committee and other committees.”
FBI Director Christopher Wray also defended the bureau’s document production, saying in the last week, “100 employees” have been working “day and night” to turn over documents.
“Although we have now substantially complied with a majority of the committee’s subpoena, we are determined to get through the outstanding items and we have increased staffing on this project even further,” he added.
But Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, was unmoved on his concerns that Rosenstein has resisted congressional demands, accusing him of “keeping information” from Congress.
Rosenstein said the accusation was not accurate and also denied allegations that he has been redacting the documents to hide embarrassing information.
“Mr. Jordan, I am the deputy attorney general of the United States. I’m not the person doing the redacting,” Rosenstein answered. “Your use of this to attack me personally is deeply wrong. … I’m not trying to hide anything.”
Democrats pointed out the irony that Republican lawmakers were using the hearing to attack Rosenstein and Wray — who are both Trump-appointed — and charged the document demands are a means to squeeze special counsel Robert Mueller.
Rosenstein oversees Mueller and is the only Justice Department official with the constitutional authority to remove him.
Rep. Trey Gowdy, R-S.C., who has made many of the document demands, urged the Justice Department to finish the Russia investigation, saying it has “torn” America apart.
“There’s an old saying that justice delayed is justice denied,” Gowdy said. “I think, right now, all of us are being denied. Whatever you’ve got, finish it the hell up, because this country is being torn apart.”
Rosenstein replied: “I have heard suggestions that we should just close the investigation. I think the best thing we can do is finish it appropriately and reach a conclusion.”
The top Democrat on the committee slammed his Republican counterparts.
“Why has the majority abandoned the rules and traditions that govern civility in the House? The tired story of Hillary Clinton’s emails, of course — plus conspiracy theories about the special counsel,” said Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y. “As part of their coordinated and determined effort to undermine the special counsel’s investigation, Republicans are requesting documents they know they cannot have.”
“Mueller is not on a witch hunt,” Wray said.
Rosenstein explained to Rep. Eric Swallwell, D-Calif., that he is unaware of any conflicts of interest that would disqualify Mueller from leading the investigation. Hours earlier, President Trump said on Twitter that Mueller should “list his conflicts of interest.”
“If there were any conflicts of interest that were brought to our attention, I would discuss it with Mr. Mueller and then there could be review within the department if there were a credible allegation of a conflict of interest,” Rosenstein said. “I am not aware of any disqualifying conflict of interest.”
The hearing is a culmination of tensions that have been simmering for month between Trump-aligned lawmakers and the Justice Department and FBI.
On Monday, the Justice Department responded to House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes’ latest deadline for documents, telling the California Republican he already has the “documents and answers” he has been inquiring about. Then on Tuesday, Nunes demanded new information in an expansive request for “any contacts” between FBI intelligence sources and a handful of Trump campaign associates.
